Smith sets record as Budapest beckons

Susan Smith's preparations for the European championships are precisely on schedule after a record breaking run in the 100 metres hurdles in the national championships at the Morton Stadium, Santry yesterday.

Using the event to sharpen her basic speed for the 400m hurdles event in Hungary, she clipped almost half a second off the existing record, set 11 years ago by Olive Burke, crossing the line in 13.31 secs.

It confirmed her impressive consistency at the longer distance, just three weeks ahead of the summit of her season.

"It was a good race to win in those conditions and it tells me that me that everything is going right with my preparations," she said. "I still need more races and, hopefully, I'll get the first of them in Paris on Wednesday."

It set the seal on an encouraging weekend for Irish athletics with several of the younger school emerging to make it one of the better championships of recent years.

Among those certain of selection for Budapest is James McIlroy, the 21-year-old from Larne who vindicated his reputation as the most exciting newcomer of the season with a comprehensive win over Niall Bruton in the 1500m final. In only his fourth race at the distance McIlroy displayed the composure of a veteran in tracking Bruton diligently on the last lap before producing a burst of withering speed 120 metres out.

In a matter of strides, he had broken the Dubliner and then powered his way off the last curve to win in 3 mins 49.83 secs.

There was another fascinating duel to reward spectators when the UCD clubmates, David Matthews and James Nolan fought out a thrilling finish to the 800m. Matthews, who had done most of the work, in spite of his well documented fitness problems this season, appeared to have won when he held off his rival's challenge at the entrance to the finishing straight.

Nolan refused to capitulate, however, and in a driving finish, a combination of the his strength and Matthews's lack of racing edge, saw the younger man prevail by just a 100th of a second in 1 min 47.75 secs.

There was rich encouragement, too, for Gary Ryan after he had allayed doubts about his fitness and produced an impressive performance of bend running to resist the challenge of Tom Comyns and retain the 200m title in 20.88 secs.

Although this was a 10th of a second slower than the figure he recorded in the heats, it has to be set against the problems encountered in running into a strong wind which freshened as the afternoon wore on.

Neil Ryan completed the expected sprint double for the Nenagh Olympic club but he was forced to do it the hard way, coming from behind at half way, to edge out Ian Craig and David Power in the 100m.

Martin McCarthy, back in Ireland after graduating from Iona University, showed that he had profited from last year's experience when finishing strongly to win the 5000m from Cormac Smith in 14 mins 02.43 secs.

The relentless climb in standards in women's athletics was well illustrated in the 400m final, in which Karen Shinkins blended pace with fine judgement when coming home a clear winner from Jennifer McKenna in championship best figures of 53.09 secs.

In a rare appearance at 800m, Sinead Delahunty sharpened her European preparations with a narrow win over Maura Prendeville in 2 mins 05.19 secs but sadly, there was only heartache for Una English after she failed to make the 1500 metres qualifying standard for Budapest.

Running in the worst of the weather, she appeared to have done enough when she went through the 1200 metres on schedule but with the title already won, she weakened on the run to the line to finish in 4 mins 14.21 secs.

Capitalising on the absence of the injured Nick Sweeney, John Menton won the discus and then capped a rewarding day by breaking Len Braham's record which had stood for 25 years in the 56lbs for distance event.